The Greatest Gift
by Qween of the Damned
Summary: On the first Christmas in Narnia by Helen's rough calculation , the queen is torn by her traditionalist ideas about what Christmas is about.
1. Chapter 1

On the ninety-third day of her reign in Narnia, Queen Helen the First decided that knowing the date would be a good idea.

"It was the twenty-first when we were called here by the Lion, and it's been about three moths here, that makes it the twenty-fifth of December back in London, its Christmas, Frank, and I have nought to offer—Him. Not you, darling, but more importantly, what if He's expecting something, and we haven't even got a roast in the oven! Oh! We haven't even got an oven." Queen Helen stared dejectedly at her breakfast, an arrangement of fruits that the Beasts had brought their monarchs to store up for the winter.

"Helen, love, I'm sure He doesn't need us to give him anything—"

"Of course he doesn't _need_ it!" She replied, picking an apple from the pile and waving it in the air before she took a bite. She chewed for a moment, then swallowed and apologized for interrupting her husband. There was a twitter from behind her, and a moment later, a Robin landed on her shoulder.

"Majesty," the Robin began, "We have been listening, and we have a question to ask of you."

Helen and Frank were, after three days of it, quite used to having their conversations heard by all the Beasts within earshot. Their beautiful and childlike subjects were delighted by the two legged creatures, and seemed to never tire watching and listening to them. Frank felt the same way at times, and spent quite a lot of time with a Bear and a Fox, learning to hunt and fish for the non-talking beasts. Both king and queen could tell the difference; something in the animal's eye, they way they held themselves…it was just a sense of _knowing_ their subjects from, well, their food.

"Ask, friend," Helen was saying, and Frank forced himself to stop his mind wandering all over Narnia.

"What," the Robin said, "Is a roast?"

Helen burst out laughing, and Frank smiled at the grunts and sighs from the other Animals. Robins were insatiably curious and always asking the wrong questions.

"It's a way of preparing a meal," Helen supplied.

"It's a Christmas tradition back in the other place," Frank said. "We don't need to bring all that here, Helen."

"Oh, but Frank, Christmas isn't just about the roast and the gifts!"

"Gifts?" Mewled a tabby, coming closer to Frank, and gazing at Helen wide-eyed.

"Yes. At Christmas we give our loved ones gifts, but that isn't the real reason for the celebration. The reason we do all this is because—because… We do it for… Aslan," she said, and paused. "We have a story back in that place, a story about a baby boy, a Son of Adam, who was a king, truly, but he was not born as a king would be born. Tell me, friends, how would you have a king's birth?"

"Oh, in a grand cave, with lots of leaves and extra food," a Badger supplied.

"No, it should be in the open, so that everyone can witness the beautiful thing," a Mare said, and whinnied. "An honour, it would be, to witness the birth of a king."

"As long as the Son of Adam is fed and watered, does it matter where he is born?" asked the Robin.

"Helen," Frank said softly, "Is this perhaps the best way of going about it? I mean, we look at it from a bit of a human perspective, you know."

Helen opened her mouth and shut it. And opened it again. "I think I meant to say, friends, that where we come from, things are a bit… different, one could say. Yes, quite different. The way that the king who was born was treated…well, it was terrible. But he was loved by those who … others…" Helen stopped again, and sighed. "Frank, I can't do this. I can't tell stories the way you tell them."

"You're doing a fine job, Helen."

"You tell it." There was a moment of quiet, even among the animals, as king Frank closed his eyes and thought of a way to begin. A few younger animals, pups and kits, wiggled closer, and waited attentively.

"A wicked king once ruled a far off land, and many people—his subjects—suffered. There was a prophesy that had been told, that a new king would come, one who would free them from the wicked king, who would love every one of his subjects, and would always listen to their needs, and do what was best for them. But the good king took so long to come that many people forgot the prophesy.

"Finally, a messenger came to a young Daughter of Eve, and told her that she would be the king's mother. The Daughter was not a noble woman—she was of low birth, and in those times, a low-born one could not be the parent of a king. But the message came from the King of all Kings himself—someone like Aslan. The Daughter of Eve was willing, and after a while, the Son of Adam, who she was to marry, understood the task that was before them. The Son had been sceptical and confused as to why all this was happening, but he was patient, and eventually understood.

"The wicket king issued a decree—something like a command, Robin—that everyone was to return to their birth place. Since many of the subjects had travelled to far away lands, this was very hard, but the Son of Adam and the Daughter of Eve began their journey. They arrived, finally, after long weeks of travel, and it came that the time was ripe for the baby king to be born. But their hometown—a gathering of dwellings—was crowded with other travellers, and there was nowhere for them to stay.

"At long last, they found an innkeeper—someone who offers a sleeping place for a price—who had not a room for them, but a stable. The stable was in a cave, but it was not as nice as the beautiful caves you make, Badger, because you see, the animals were not Talking Beasts, and their masters simply fashioned the place to keep the animals dry and warm. It was, really, no place for a True King. But there he was born, and it was from that day that the world had the hope of a saviour. So, you see, we celebrate the birth of a king, even though it was many years ago. A kind of name-day celebration, it might be called."

There was another silence as the animals and queen Helen contemplated.

"Where do the gifts come in then?" A young pup asked, and his mother growled at him for his lack of manners.

King Frank laughed before replying: "I've forgotten a key part of the story, friends! You see, the King of all Kings, the one like Aslan himself in that world, the baby—that was his son. The King sent his son to be king on earth, like a gift, and all who wish to receive this gift, may indeed receive it. So, we give gifts to symbolise the King giving his son as a gift."

"What kind of gifts?" Boar asked.

"Any kind, for it matters not the content, but the thought behind it." Frank smiled at them, and then at Helen. "You see, dear, Aslan himself would not need a gift from us, because our service to him is what we have to offer now. I think perhaps that is the best gift we can give to him. There are no shops for us to go to, no ovens for us to roast in, but that doesn't matter. We give out service and love to the Lion; I believe that is enough for him."

Helen smiled at her husband and king, and turned her gaze back to the mouth of the cave. There were thickly woven branches covering the entrance, but the snowstorm could still be heard raging outside.

"Love…" said an owl from its perch above them, "Love is a gift. It is the greatest gift, queen Helen, and today, this Christmas day in Narnia, we give each other the greatest gift. Love." The bird too-wooed, and closed it's eyes again, leaving Helen to muse over the wise words.

Love, yes, love was the greatest gift, and by the Lion, love was all she had for Aslan. So this Christmas she would give nought but her love to him.


	2. Chapter 2

"And thus ends the story of the first Narnian Christmas, as passed down to me fro my father, whose father passed it unto him, whose father passed it to _him,_ whose father died too soon to pass it, so his mother passed it on to him, and her husband had given it to her, and he's received it from his father—"

"I thank you, kind Squirrel Joa. Without your tale, we would have less of the Narnian tradition." King Peter smiled gently down on the creature. The king and his siblings were seated by the fire in the great hall, with their personal guard, but few others. It was Christmas Eve, and their first one as rulers.

"It is a lovely story," the Valiant Queen said sleepily. "What are we doing for tomorrow, Su?" The year had been busy, and the four had forgotten about Christmas, until the first snows that fell three days ago. They were still busy after that, but with the added factor of Lucy running around asking everyone what sort of parties there would be and what everyone would like for Christmas.

"Perhaps we should, like Queen Helen, take into perspective what is most important to us this festive season," King Edmund was saying softly. "We come from a similar back ground to hers, and so we too have the set ideas and traditions that she had when thinking of Christmas."

"Capital, Ed," Susan said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What is most important to you this Christmas Eve, Lucy dearest?"

Lucy was quiet for a while, staring into the fire, and then she smiled. "Family. But not just you three, but _all_ my family. The family we've gained here. The dryads and the nymphs and the Foxes and Bears and Beavers and Wolves and Swallows and Ravens and Rats and fauns and dwarves, and the gentle Giants, and the Hawks and the Lions and—"

"Haha, alright, Lu, alright, I think we get the picture," Peter laughed.

"The whole of Narnia would be related to you, then, sister?" Edmund asked with a smirk, pulling the blanket closer around him.

"Oh, of course! But what of you? What is the most important thing to you all this Christmas?"

"Something our old world has long tried to achieve," Susan said, "Peace. Our beloved Narnia is at peace."

Peter smiled at her, and nodded. "You're right, sister. Spare Oom has so longed for it, and here, by Aslan's grace, we have it. But I think the most important thing this year is that our beloved general and trainer has given us tomorrow off!" the four laughed, and then Peter grew serious again. "No, in honesty, I think for me, the most important thing is that we are together. I think back, and this war could have ended any which way, but it didn't. For that I am so grateful."

"Ed?" Lucy said when Just Ed was quiet for too long. "What are you thankful for this Christmas?"

He looked at each of his siblings for a heartbeat before speaking.

"Forgiveness," he said, and smiled.

_A/N:_ Thusly ends my story of two Narnian Christmases, and I hope I've done them justice. The second chapter would not have been if not for the kind reviewer Sapphire Warrioress, so many, many thanks and kudos to her for that. Thanks to all who review!


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